So Far Away
by Hillton
Summary: Ashley is going on an extended vacation through Europe.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Spence," Ashley let herself into Spencer's dorm room.

"Hi Ash," Spencer replied absently.

Ashley wrapped her arms around Spencer's shoulder and kissed her neck.

"Ash. Not now. I've got finals next week."

"Fine," Ashley retreated to Spencer's bed, "Well I'm glad I made the right decision."

"What?" Spencer tore herself from her schoolwork and looked quizzically at Ashley.

Ashley sighed, "I'm obviously distracting you. So I've decided to take a 15 month long back backpacking trip through Europe. I won't be back until August 2007."

"What?" Spencer repeated, "2007?"

"I"m not saying we should break up or anything. Its part of my plan not to. I have to make sure we're both here for the long run."

"When do you leave?"

"Monday. Here's the great part though, along the way, I have all these gigs. My dad's manager set up a little club tour."

"Thats a good opportunity for you," Spencer tried to sound supportive. Then she changed her tone, "I have a feeling this is your way or running."

"No, its my way of not feeling like I'm needy or bugging you."

"You don't bug me Ash. You're a diversion."

"Do you think I want to get between you and your future? No. I want to be your future. We both know that neither of us are going to be the best person we can be if the other is always around. We just need to find our own way for a while."  
"I don't want you to be that far away. A year and three months? Thats so long!"

"60 cities baby," Ashley was excited about the trip, "One a week. And Dad is paying for it all! Says I need to see the world."

"Where do you go first?"

"London."

"Oh," Spencer had always wanted to go to London, "Send me a picture of you on the eye."

"I'll send you ton of pictures."

"Good. Because I'll need my fix of your face."

"I'll take so many pictures, you'll be sick of my face."

"Never gonna happen," Spencer assured her as they kissed, "And Ash?"  
"Hmm?"

"I understand why you want to do this. But I'm going to miss you like crazy."

"I'll miss you too Spencer."

"Where to after London?"

"Who knows? Dad had his travel agent set this up for me. I'll have directions to new cities sent to me each week and suggestions of things I can do in the city, which I can follow or not."

"Thats kind of cool."

"Yeah. I think so. It was going to be my graduation gift, but I put it on hold."

"Oh."

"Hey, I'm renting a storage locker while I'm gone. You're welcome to whatever is in it. And I know you want this," Ashley pulled a thong out of her purse.

Spencer blushed.

"I know its your favorite of mine. I sprayed it with my perfume for you."

Spencer was at a loss for words. She took the panties, smelled them, an smiled, then set them aside, "Um Thanks."

"And here's the key and directions to the storage locker," she handed Spencer and envelope, "I'll let you go back to studying," she got up.  
"Ash, when is your flight on Monday?"

"10 PM. Why?"

"Let me drive you."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Ashley gave Spencer a kiss on the cheek and started towards the door, "I have to clean out my apartment. We need to hang out on Sunday."

"Definitely."

"Bye Spence."


	2. Chapter 2

BROOKLYNDEB: yes, That would make sense, but then themcoming back togetherawkwardly would never happen :)

ashley-michele: well here's what happens.

babygirl2006: its sad that I had to part them, but it makes this part all the better

Sorry for the long delay. Here's more.

* * *

Ashley kept her promise to write and send photos for about a month. The first week, the letters came by mail. They were really meaty about the sites she was seeing, and she always sent a picture. The pictures were always taken by passing tourists of Ashley goofing off at some monument or tourist trap. She sent one nearly everyday that first week. The next week, Spencer got three letters, they were all shorter than the week before.

Day nine:

"Bon Jour from Paris! It certainly was a surprise when I found out this is where my journey was taking me next. I have a room overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Its the most beautiful site. Especially at sunrise. I know what you're thinking, 'Ashley got up in time to see the sunrise?' . Yes I did. What is the world coming to? Don't be so surprised.

I wish you could be here with me. Its such a romantic place. You can't really understand that from the movies or pictures. Its different in person. It makes me horny.

Love and Miss You,

Ash."

The letters came less often the next week. She got one, but she did get an e-mail.

Day thirty:

"You should see the hotel here! It has five stories and a gigantic pool. There is a hot tub, sauna and spa too. I'm getting a massage in a couple hours. I'm in the business center now, thats where I'm e-mailing you from. The business center has three computers. They're supposedly for business people who come in, but anyone can use them.

Miss ya,

Ash."

A few weeks later the letters stopped coming at all.

Day Fourty-Five:

"I'm in Spain now. Madrid to be exact. There is lots of cool art and architecture here.

I'm fine baby, how are you?

Love,

Ash"

They got even shorter by day sixty-three:

"Hey from Portugal. I'm great. How's everything back home?"

She didn't even sign that one. Spencer started to wonder what was going on. For weeks, Spencer had been lying on her bed pining for Ashley. That e-mail made it seem like she felt obligated to e-mail Spencer, and that was the only reason why she was doing it.

Spencer replied,

"Same old, same old here. My life is boring without you. I'm just keeping my nose to the grindstone. You're the one off in all these exotic locales. Whats going on with you?"

"Its gotten pretty hectic, but a routine hectic. I'm seeing all this cool stuff," Ashley replied in the next e-mail.

Spencer responded to the e-mail simply:

"Like what?"

Ashley replied, "You know, the tourist stuff. There are tons of people here, I've been on so many airplanes. I feel like this is a dream."

So that was a little better, but Spencer stopped trying to coerce information out of Ashley. Finally the e-mails stopped trickling in. Spencer lost hope after a while of Ashley writing, or even coming back at all. Spencer felt abandoned.

Spring came without word from Ashley. It'd been nine months since they'd seen each other. Spencer was sitting in her dorm room trying to study when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller. It was an unknown LA number. She answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, are you doing anything?" a familiar voice came into Spencer's ear.

"Studying," she replied.

"Well, can you take a break?"

"Why? Where are you?"

"LAX."

"What? You're not supposed to be back for another six months."

"Well, I had a change of plans. Can we talk?"

"Isn't that what we're doing already?"

"Yeah, but thats not what I meant."

"What do you mean?"

"Pick me up. I have to see you."

"Alright," Spencer gave in, "what terminal?"

Ashley gave her the information.


	3. Chapter 3

Neh, the talk isn't too bad. I like to keep my characters semi-happy. I'm excited for the 8 reviews I recieved. I'd like to thank you all by screen name, but I don't have time now. So thank you all! I edited the first chapter just a bit.

* * *

Spencer pulled up to the curb after seeing Ashley standing out there.

"Hey," Ashley said shoving her suitcases in the backseat.

"Hi," Spencer replied. Ashley was trying to pretend nothing was different, but Spencer's tone made it clear that she wasn't having that.

Ashley sat down in the front seat, then Spencer drove on. They shared an awkward silence for a while.

Ashley motioned to the radio, "Do you mind?" she asked. Before the trip, she wouldn't have had to ask.

"Go ahead."

"Where are we going?" Ashley asked after a while. It'd always been a habit that Ashley got to drive, so not being in control was difficult for Ash. It was hard being blindly driven around and not knowing where she was going.

"You'll see," Spencer replied slyly.

Spencer drove them to the beach. "Lets go for a walk," she suggested, though it was really more of a command.

"Okay," Ashley replied, getting out of the car and following Spencer.

Spencer walked to the pier. She sat down in the same exact spot where she talked to Ashley about being gay when the skipped school. Spencer nodded to Ashley to sit down.

"I spent a lot of time here this year," Spencer said simply.

"Really?" Ashley replied.

"That day really did end well. At least until my parents found out I ditched and grounded me," Spencer laughed.

There was a pause.

"So," Spencer said, "You sounded like you wanted to tell me something. Something isn't the same... something isn't right. Why did you stop writing to me?"

"Spence," Ashley glanced a finger down Spencer's cheek, "I'm going to be completely honest with you. It got too hard. Knowing it was going to be so long until I'd see you again. I couldn't keep sending you 'I'm fine baby, how are you?' letters. It wasn't fair to you. You deserved more than that."

"So you just stopped?"

"It was a weird and stupid way to do it, but I couldn't think of anything else to do."

"Why do I feel like you're leaving something out?"

"Because I am," Ashley blushed, "I kissed a girl in Greece. We talked, we had one kiss. I was drunk. That was it, but it isn't an excuse."

"No it isn't," Spencer replied. She didn't really know how to react.

"I want to show you something. Can we go back to your place? I need a place where I can go through my suitcase to get what I want to show you."

"Okay," Spencer was trying to keep an open mind.

Ashley pulled her suitcase into Spencer's dorm room, "Alright. I'm not just trying to get into your room. I want you to see something," she pulled out a bag and a box, "That bag," she pointed, "All the souvenirs I got you. The box, all the letters I tried to write you."

Spencer opened the box and started to examine the letters. They were mushy, love notes. Spencer smiled. She could feel Ashley's eyes on her.

"You know I'm not good at admitting that kind of stuff," Ashley said, looking down at her feet.

"Why not? Its great. I would have rather have had these than anything else."

"I feel like I have this front, this image that I've got, that I want to keep..."

"You don't think you can be real with me?"

"Its not that, its just that, I mean, I've never had something last this long."

"You haven't used the mushy gushy side of you in a while have you?"

"Never. Its embarrassing. I've never felt this, this bad for this long."

"I'd suppose thats a good thing for me huh?" Spencer smiled. She pushed the box off the bed. Paper and various other items fell onto the floor as Spencer closed the gap between her and Ashley, "I missed you so much," she admitted. She couldn't help it any more. She kissed Ashley, making up for the past nine months.


End file.
